Show-case leg.



A. VANDERVELD.

SHOW CASE LEG.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.4, 1912 Patented July 16, 1912.

'2 SHEETSSHEET 1 A. VANDERVELD.

SHOW CASE LEG.

APPLICATION FILED APE.4, 1912. V 1 032,970. Pa ented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w ZM JQ M W6 2i??? UNITED STATES PATENT oFEIoE.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GRAND RAPIDS SHOW CASE COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

SHOW-CASE LEG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

Application filed April 4, 1912. Serial N 0. 688,371.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY VANDER- vELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Show-Case Legs, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to adjustable legs for supporting furniture or the like, and more particularly store furniture.

As well known by those skilled in the art, the floor or support on which a piece of furniture stands is liable to become out of level or distorted for various reasons, and if the furniture is sustained by the usual legs, it will either be unstable or be out of level.

With these matters in mind, therefore, the present invention has for its object the production of anovel form of adjustable support or leg for furniture, whereby, regardless of the inequality of floor surface or of the piece of furniture sustained by such legs, such furniture may be properly sustained in a level or other desired position; all as will hereinafter more fully appear in connection with the following description and accompanying drawings of one form of the invention for carrying the same into practical effect, it being understood that the illustrated form of the invention may be varied without departing from the true scopethereof, which is definitely pointed out by the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a diagonal edge view of a showcase or other store fiX- ture supported by means of the adjustable leg of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3, on somewhat smaller scale, the leg being detached from the showcase or furniture. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the part shown in Fig. .2, said part being on somewhat larger scale.

The showcase, or other piece. of furniture 1 (Fig. 1) may be of any usual or desired character, and as indicated in the drawing comprises the usual panel sections 2 of glass and the supporting frames therefor. This showcase or other piece of furniture is preferably sustained upon four legs, as indicated in Fig. 1, each of which may be constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the construction of the adjustable leg, the main leg portion 3 (Figs. 2 and 3), is made hollow and may, if desired, be formed of castmetal or otherwise. It may also be of any desired or convenient shape in cross section, but as herein illustrated, the main leg section 3 is formed of metal and of substantially rectangular cross section. At the top of the main leg portion 3 are projecting lugs 4, suitably perforated at 5 for the passing of fastening devices by which the leg may be secured to the case 1, as indicated in Fig. 1. There are three of the lugs or projections at, thus leaving one corner portion of the leg free and unobstructed by such lug, so that it may be secured to the showcase flush with the edge or corner thereof, as indicated in Fig. 1. The sides 6 and 7 of the main leg portion preferably conform in their angular relation with the angular contour of the case which the leg supports, so that the'edge portions 6 and 7 properly conform to and extend along the respective edges of the case.

The lower part of the leg portion 3 is preferably provided with a flange 8 affording a proper support for the main leg portion when the same rests upon the floor. Loosely arranged within the lower part of the main leg 3 is the supplemental leg portion- 9, which may have substantially the same general contour as the cross section of the main leg portion 3, (see Fig. The main and supplemental leg portions are adapted to be moved relatively, and as in use the supplemental leg portion will rest upon the floor, means are provided for moving it telescopically with relation thereto and supporting it therefrom regardless of the uneven floor surface. As one means to this end the supplemental leg portion 9 has sustaining part 14 adapted to engage the under surface of a block 15, as indicated in Fig. The block 15 has its under su face recessed, as at 16, to receive the part 141: of the cam rocker, the construction being such that movement of the cam rocker clockwise, viewing Fig. 2, will, when the supplemental leg portion 9 rests upon the floor, cause the main leg portion to be lifted in order to level up the show case, as will more fully appear.

To effect movement of the cam rocker upon its fulcrum bridgepiece 11, ithas a threaded portion 17 which is engaged by the threads of an flCljllSt-ll'lg rod 18 having a head 19 extending through a slot 20 atthe inner corner portion of the main leg section. The end 21 of the adjusting rod 18 bears upon a seat on the inner surface of the main leg portion, substantially as indicated at 22, Fig. 2, said seat being curved to accommodatethe end 21 of the adjusting rod 18 as the cam TOChQP is moved by said rod.

As hereinbefore noted, the slot 20 through which the adjusting rod 18 projects slightly in order that it may be properly turned in one direction or the other, as desired, is formed at that corner of the main leg portion that is directed toward the under part of the case 1, as indicated in Fig. l, the effect being that the adjusting rod 18 may be suitably mani 'mlated as desired and yet the end of the said rod will be under the case and out of the way. The end of the adjusting rod 18 may not extend much beyond the edges of the slot 26 in any adjustment, and even if it does, its position at the inner corner of the main leg portion removes any liability of its being caught by clothing or other passing objects.

The block 15 may be forined integral with the main leg portion 3 substantially as indicated in Fig. 2, or it may be secured thereto in any other appropriate manner as will be readily understood.

In order that the supplemental leg portion 9 may not become entirely detached from the main leg portion, should the case be lifted, or should the leg itself be de tached from the showcase when the showcase is transported, the cam rocker is pro 'vided with a retaining finger 23, as indiated in Fig. :2, which engages beneath the bridgepiece 11 of said supplemental leg portion and is of such extent that when the end 19 of the adjusting rod 18 is at either its upper or lower limit of movement in the slot 20, the finger will not become disengaged from beneath the bridgepiece 1.1.

The supplemental leg portion 9 fits loosely within the lower part of the main leg portion 3 in order that it may tilt with relation thereto and thus afford a proper support for the leg and its load even though the floor itself, which is engaged by the supplemental leg portion may be inclined with respect to the main leg portion, substantially indi cated in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the construction described, as one form or embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that the supplen'iental le portions may be relatively moved by simply turning the adjusting rod 18 and moving the cam. rocker about its fulcrum 11 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) and in order to re tract the supplemental leg portion into the main leg portion itis necessary only to manipulate the adjusting rod 18 to move the cam rocker in the opposite direction, whereby the linger 23 will. act upon the lower surface of the bridgepiece 11 and cause the desired movement of the supplemental leg portion. As the adjusting rod 18 is thus manipulated, its end 21 will move along the seat 22 in conformity with the movement dictated by movement of the cam rocker, it being understood of course that the adjusting rod 18 being threaded through the lug 17 of the cam rocker, moves with it as the cam rocker turns about its fulcrum. It will. lil-tewise be noted that the loose lit of the supplemental leg portion in the main leg portion, and the loose connection between the cam rocker and the bridgepiece ll of the supplemental leg portion, will allow the supplemental leg portion to ac- (JQlDll'lOtltItG itself readily to uneven floor surface, thus giving a full and flush bearing of the si'ipplemental leg portion upon the floor; and that, rt-zgardless of the unevenness of floor surface, the leg portions may be readily manipulated, relatively in accordance with the desired conditions.

Obviously changes may be made in some of the details and the particular relation of the parts, without variation from the true scope of the actual invention, which is definitely pointed out by the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An adjustable leg for store or other furniture, COlIlpYlSlDg a .main leg portion, a. supplemental leg portion movable within the main leg portion, a. cam rocker operating in substantially a vertical plane for moving the supplemei'ital leg portion, and rooms for operating the cam rocker.

2. An adjustable leg for store or other furniture, comprising a main leg portion, a supplemental leg portion, a cam rocker for relatively moving the said leg portions teleseopically, said cam rocker being fulcrumed in the main leg portion, and means for moving the cam rocker about its ful crum.

3. In a device of the character described, the C(Hl'lblllitt'lOll of a main leg portion, a supplemental leg portion, a cam rocker having a cam surface for engaging the supplemental leg portion and a lifting part to engage the said main leg portion.

4. In an adjustable leg for furniture or the like, two relatively movable leg portions, a cam rocker fulcrumed on one of said leg portions and having a lifting part for engaging the other of said leg portions, and adjusting means for moving the cam rocker in a substantially vertical plane about its fulcrum to cause relative movement of said leg portions.

5. In a device of the character described the combination of two loosely related leg portions, a cam rocker loosely fulcrumed in one of said leg portions for movement in substantially a vertical plane and having a part for engaging and moving the other of said leg portions, and an adjusting device for said cam rocker extended to the outside of the said leg portions for ready manipulation while said leg portions sustain the load thereon.

6. In an adjustable leg for store or other furniture, the combination of two leg portions telescopically arranged, a lug on one leg portion, a bridgepiece on the other leg portion, a cam rocker having a cam surface bearing on said bridgepiece, and means for moving the cam rocker on said bridgepiece to cause relative movement of said leg portions.

7. In an adjustable leg for store or other furniture, the combination of two leg portions telescopically arranged, a block or lug on one leg portion, a bridgepiece on the other leg portion, a cam rocker having a am surface bearing on and a finger engaging beneath said bridgepiece, and means for moving the cam rocker about said bridgepiece to cause relative movement of said leg portions.

S. An adjustable leg for store or other furniture, comprising, in combination, two leg portions, a cam rocker inclosed by said leg and having a part engaging one of said leg portions and a cam surface engaging the other of said leg portions, and an ad justing rod connected to the cam rocker and extended to the outside of the leg for rocking the cam rocker.

9. An adjustable leg for store or other furniture, comprising, in combination, two leg portions, a cam rocker inclosed by said leg and having a part engaging one of said leg portions and a cam surface engaging the other of said leg portions, and an adjusting rod having a screw thread connection with the cam rocker for operating said cam rocker.

10. In an adjustable leg for furniture and'the like, two relatively movable leg portions, a cam rocker fulcrumed on one of said leg portions and having a cam surface, and a partfor engaging the other of said leg portions, and adjusting means for moving the cam rocker in a substantially vertical plane about its fulcrum to cause relative movement of said leg portions.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of two relatively movable leg portions telescopically arranged, one of said leg portions having a slot. extending longitudinally thereof, a cam rocker fulcrumed on one of said leg portions and having a part engaging the other leg por tion, and an adjusting means earned by the cam rocker and movable toward the upper and lower portions of said slot as said rocker is operated by said means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD.

Witnesses:

DOUGLAS M. RAY, C. S. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

